1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a hold-down device for a battery, particularly for automotive vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
In all types of automotive vehicles, the battery is a standard component whose dimensions are governed by precise standards. There are various types of known hold-down devices for placing and immobilizing the battery on the chassis of the vehicle. A first type of known hold-down device utilizes the upper surface of the battery and a second type of known hold-down device utilizes the lugs of the battery.
A first example of a hold-down device utilizing the upper surface of the battery consists in resting the battery on a support tray, placing two vertical rods one on each side of the battery and positioning a bracketing element that connects the two vertical rods above the battery. The hold-down device then exerts a vertical clamping action on the battery by bearing on its upper surface. The rods generally have threaded ends that pass through the bracketing element and cooperate with nuts to bring about the clamping action. However, this type of device calls for the use of tools, especially for tightening the nuts, and the manipulation of the various parts is exacting.
Other examples of hold-down devices utilizing the upper surface of the battery consist in employing a support tray having raised side walls replacing the vertical rods and cooperating with a bracketing element that connects the two walls of the tray and is fixed by one or two anchoring points. Another example of a hold-down device uses a simple fabric strap surrounding the battery with its ends fastened on one and the other side of the battery.
However, all these examples of hold-down devices utilizing the upper surface of the battery have proven overly complex, since they are made up of several easy-to-lose parts and necessitate the use of tools for installing and removing the battery. Furthermore, the retention of the battery in its support tray is not safeguarded.
A first example of a hold-down device utilizing the lugs of the battery is a metal clamp integral to the support tray and made to bear against a lug of the battery. The clamp is fixed to the support tray, for example by a screw fastening system, and produces a high clamping pressure on the lug of the battery. However, tools still have to be used to install and remove the battery, and the hold-down device is made up of several parts that are hard to manipulate. In addition, the production cost of such a device is still high.
Another example of a hold-down device utilizing the lug of the battery is a pivoting cam system. One side of the battery is gripped in a fixed lug on the support tray and the other side of the battery cooperates with a cam system mounted to rotate parallel to the support tray. The cam is set in motion manually by an eccentric, which comes to bear against the lug of the battery in the locking position, while at the same time applying a clamping force to the lug. However, this type of device also requires the use of a screwdriver-type tool, especially during the removal of the battery. In addition, dust can come to foul the internal friction zones of the hold-down device. This then creates difficulties in removing the battery.
Another example is given by the document FR 2 796 494, which describes a battery hold-down device that is an integral part of the support tray. As illustrated schematically in FIG. 1, the hold-down device 10 for a battery 11 comprises a support tray 12 with a first flange 13a, serving as a stop for a first lug 14a of the battery 11. The support tray 12 comprises a second flange 13b provided with a deformable tab 15, articulated in rotation according to arrow F1 and designed to quickly immobilize and release the battery 11. The immobilizing is done by pressing the second lug 14b of the battery 11 against the tab 15, which deforms, thereby making it possible to position the battery 11 on the floor of the support tray 12. The battery 11 is loosened by exerting a pressure according to arrow F2 on the free end of the tab 15, which then releases the second lug 14b of the battery 11 and allows the battery 11 to be disengaged.
Although this type of device avoids the use of tools, it does not ensure safeguarded retention of the battery 11 in the support tray 12 and does not make it possible to determine whether the lug of the battery is actually in place. In addition, such a hold-down device does not permit positive locking of the battery in the support tray.